Another Replica?
by EmerMarie
Summary: Lorelei was freed, but only one child of the light came back. And now, he will never able to forget about his replica even if he wanted to, especially after twelve years.


**I REALLY need to find a way to keep these plot bunnies from gnawing at my head, and I've never even played Tales of the Abyss! What's up with that? I mean, I've only been able to know the game by watching gameplay videos and all that, including the ending.**

**Long story short, once I got to know the storyline of TotA better, this little idea came to my head, and since I didn't want to forget any of it, I typed them down. . . which eventuially resulted into this. It's not the best, I never actually played the game, so go easy on me if I got some details wrong. In fact, I actually made some things here vague on purpose.**

**As soon as the 3DS port comes out in America, I am going to grab it. I can't even get a PS2 copy at a fair price even on eBay.**

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><p>He didn't know what to do.<p>

All he could do was wait outside the room where a few screams and soothing voices were taking place. It started early this morning, and now it was just reaching the late evening. Just how long would this take?

He covered his ears with the palms of his hands while hoping for the best. Even with his ears covered, he still heard the screams coming from the room nearby.

All of a sudden everything went silent, and the door to the room in question opened, showing a woman with some blood on her thick dress and apron.

"They're here."

The father slowly stood up and followed the midwife into the bedroom. Lying on the bed was a very exhausted looking young woman with a bundle gently clasped in her arms. As soon as she saw her husband, she held up the baby slightly.

"It's our son. . ." the mother smiled, "He looks just like you. . . and _him_. . ."

The father only stood there beside his wife, quietly in awe of the child that was born from both him and his beloved wife.

"Have you decided on a name for him?" the midwife asked with a small smile.

When the father didn't say anything, the mother only closed her eyes and smiled, ". . . Yes," she held the bundle closer to her face, red hair poking out slightly from the blanket, "I want him to carry _his_ name in _his_ memory."

The father looked up, "And that would be?"

The mother, the recently crowned Queen of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, looked up at her husband, and spoke the word that would be their newborn son's name.

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><p>Asch fon Fabre slumped against the bed of his personal chambers with his face pressed against the sheets, Natalia already sleeping beside him. This is merely the result of a hard day's work as the King of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear and Baticul, and so far he has been able to rule the land peacefully with Natalia by his side for almost twelve years. Night had long creeped over the sky, but Asch didn't really care, all he wanted was a good night's sleep with Natalia by his side.<p>

Unfortunately, he was still wide awake.

He thought back at the time when he managed to come back alive after his so-called "death" in Eldrant twelve years ago. But. . . that was because his idiot replica sacrificed himself to erase his, Asch's, death.

After that incident when the Score was finally overthrown, there was no way Asch could ever reclaim his name as "Luke fon Fabre." That was the replica's. . . no. . . that was the name of his friend now. . . or. . .

Should he think of him as his brother?

_Damn it_. . .

Asch slowly pulled himself up and out from the bed, ignoring the human-shaped imprint that he had left behind and being careful not to wake Natalia. He won't be able to get some sleep this way. Fighting the nagging and tired feeling that was creeping up inside his head, Asch slowly walked out of his personal chambers and into the hallway. After spending about seven to eight years as a God-General, he never really cared about the decor of the manor; however, he had to admit that the maids were doing a pretty impressive job on keeping the place clean.

When Asch looked up, he saw that his feet had taken him through the garden outside, and to another person's personal chambers, and he knew whose it was right away. It did not belong to his parents, but it once belonged to _him_. With a slightly shaky hand, Asch quietly pushed the door and walked inside, he might as well check on the current occupant.

Oddly enough, Asch did not see anyone sleeping on the bed in the middle of the room.

"Father?"

Asch looked down and saw a small boy about ten years of age look up at him. He looked almost exactly like his father, but he did inherit his mother's fair and pale skin. He is wearing only simple white pajamas, with a familiar black cartoony gremlin printed on the back, much like the one _his_ jacket had many years ago. A large stuffed blue cheagle doll was in the boy's arms, and the boy kept squeezing it every few seconds.

The boy rubbed his left eye with a fist, "Father, it's not mornin' yet. . ." the child yawned as he pressed the cheagle doll closer to his chest.

Asch's lips stretched slightly into a thin line, as much as he loved his son. . .

_No, unlike _him_, he's not my. . ._

Asch wordlessly placed a hand on his son's head and ruffled his hair a little, and the child giggled a little at the gesture. Unfortunately, Asch's expressions remained the same.

"Father, did you have a bad dream?"

For the first time ever today, Asch smiled, but only slightly, "You could say that."

The child beamed a smile at his father, and Asch was instantly reminded of _his_ grin. His hand faltered slightly, and unfortunately for him. . .

Luke noticed.

"Father?" Luke looked up at him worriedly, "Are you hurting?"

Asch blinked as soon as he saw _his_ face from his son, and part of him inwardly cursed to fate, even his _voice_ sounded like _him_. If only Luke looked more like Natalia than him. . . !

"Father?"

Asch couldn't help but look away from his son. As much as he wanted to hate his replica, he had to constantly remind himself that the Luke in front of him. . .

_He's not a replica of me_. . . Asch thought bitterly. _He's not_. . .

". . .Father?" Tears were beginning to form on Luke's eyes, "Bad dreams only happen when you're asleep. You can't be having a bad dream right now, are you?"

Asch let out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding in his chest. If he hadn't had that, then it probably would have been a choked sob.

Luke, seeing that his father wasn't going to give him answer, wrapped an arm around his father's leg while keeping hold of his cheagle doll. Thankfully, Luke did not press his father as to why he even bothered to coming into his room in the first place. Then again, he was glad that Asch showed up.

"Father, I couldn't sleep."

Asch looked at his son and closed his eyes, "You too, huh?"

"I had a really weird dream," Luke buried his face into Asch's robes, "There was this weird voice. . ."

Asch thought that his heart had stopped for a moment as his eyes snapped open, "A voice?"

"Uh-huh," Luke nodded, his voice a bit muffled, "He sounds a lot like you and kept calling out for your name."

"Really," Asch kneeled down and placed a hand on the back of Luke's head in hopes of comforting him, making the boy bury his head into Asch's shoulder.

Part of him inwardly cursed, even after tens years, he still had a difficult time being a father. Yet another part of him questioned, was the person that Luke was referring to. . . _him_?

"I couldn't tell what he was saying," Luke was now beginning to tremble, "He sounded really happy, yet really sad."

. . ._Damn it_. . . now _he_ was making his son feel some of the pain of losing. . . a loved one? Asch pulled his son closer to his chest, and he couldn't help but feel that Luke was becoming more and more like _him_ every minute that passes.

". . .Father?"

Asch turned his head slightly to Luke, "What is it?"

"Thanks for coming," he sighed with content, "You're always looking out for me."

For the second time that day, Asch smiled, this time being true. Giving Luke an embracing hug, this time with both arms, he spoke.

"I can't stop looking out for you even if I wanted to."

_Even after twelve years_.

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><p><strong>I've read numerous posts about fans arguing who was the person that appeared at the end of the game. Some say it's Luke, others say it's Asch, and there was even someone who thought that it was Lorelei. In this story's case, it'd be Asch. This doesn't mean that I think it's Asch that came back, though.<strong>

**For those who want to know, Asch is thirty-two in this one-shot. Luke II was born when Asch was twenty-two, two years after his return. Personally, if Asch was to ever have a son, he might name him Luke in his replica's memory. However, I think it would probably leave him conflicted with himself if his son was to look almost exactly like him, especially after knowing that there was a replica of himself made.**

**But hey, you never know.**

**In truth, this is just one of the many alternate universe one-shots that are out there that I just made for fun. I mean, hey, it's possible, right?**


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